US5018808A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for beam displacement in a light beam scanner
Assignee: Eastman Kodak Co
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Filing: 1989-12-26
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Granted: 1991-05-28
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Expires: 2009-12-26
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus is provided for line scanning a beam receiving member, wherein a scanning beam is angularly or laterally displaced to compensate for scan line spacing error. The beam is displaced according to error arising from variation (flutter) in the relative motion of the beam and the beam receiving member, or according to error arising from movement of the receiving member while the scanning beam travels to a start of scan position, or both. Embodiments of beam displacement means include a refracting tilt plate, a reflecting tilt plate, a diffracting tilt plate, and a tilt prism.
Inventors
- 👤 Mark M. Meyers
- 👤 James K. Lee
- 👤 Badhri Narayan
- 👤 James E. Roddy
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 17:52
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K15/00; G06K15/02; G06K15/12; G06K15/1204; G06K15/1219; B; B41; B41J; B41J2/00; B41J2/435; B41J2/47; B41J2/471; H; H04; H04N; H04N1/00; H04N1/04; H04N1/047; H04N1/0473; H04N1/113; H04N1/1135; H04N1/12; H04N2201/00; H04N2201/024; H04N2201/02406; H04N2201/02439; H04N2201/04; H04N2201/047; H04N2201/04701; H04N2201/0471; H04N2201/04712; H04N2201/04715; H04N2201/04724; H04N2201/04734; H04N2201/04744; H04N2201/04753; H04N2201/04758; H04N2201/0476; H04N2201/04762; H04N2201/04763; H04N2201/04794
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
92 words
A method for beam scanning of a scan receiving member, comprising the steps of: directing a light beam upon means operable by selective orientation for displacing the beam; deflecting the light beam so as to effect repeated line scanning of the scan receiving member; providing spacing between sequential scan lines, the spacing being subject to error; determining the scan line spacing error; and selectably orienting the beam displacement means in accordance with the determination of the scan line spacing error so as to displace the light beam to compensate for such error.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
92 words
A method for beam scanning of a scan receiving member, comprising the steps of: directing a light beam upon means operable by selective orientation for displacing the beam; deflecting the light beam so as to effect repeated line scanning of the scan receiving member; providing spacing between sequential scan lines, the spacing being subject to error; determining the scan line spacing error; and selectably orienting the beam displacement means in accordance with the determination of the scan line spacing error so as to displace the light beam to compensate for such error.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of refracting the light beam directed upon the beam displacement means to provide lateral displacement of the beam.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of refracting the light beam directed upon the beam displacement means to provide angular displacement of the beam.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of reflecting the light beam directed upon the beam displacement means to provide angular displacement of the beam.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of diffracting the light beam directed upon the beam displacement means to provide angular displacement of the beam.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing scan line spacing further comprises the step of providing relative motion in the cross-scan direction between the light beam and the scan receiving member so as to effect the spacing.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 6, wherein the step of providing relative motion further comprises the step of transporting the scan receiving member.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method of claim 6, wherein the step of determining scan line spacing error further comprises the steps of: determining the rate of the relative motion in the cross-scan direction; calculating the variation of the rate from a predetermined value; and determining the scan line spacing error in accordance with the calculated rate variation.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
71 words
The method of claim 6, wherein the step of determining the scan line spacing error further comprises the steps of: determining the position of a portion of the scan receiving member selected for scanning; determining the position of a portion of the scan receiving member upon which the scanning will actually be made; and determining the scan line spacing error in accordance with the differential between the scan receiving member positions.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
125 words
A method for scan line exposure of a photosensitive member, comprising the steps of: directing a laser beam upon means operable by selective orientation for displacing the laser beam; deflecting the laser beam so as to effect repeated line scanning of the photosensitive member; selectably modulating the laser beam to effect plural line scan exposures of the photosensitive medium; providing relative motion in the cross-scan direction between the photosensitive medium and the laser beam to effect spacing between sequential scan line exposures, the spacing being subject to error; determining the error in the spacing; generating an error correction signal; and selectably orienting the beam displacement means in accordance with the error correction signal so as to displace the laser beam to compensate for such error.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
125 words
A method for scan line exposure of a photosensitive member, comprising the steps of: directing a laser beam upon means operable by selective orientation for displacing the laser beam; deflecting the laser beam so as to effect repeated line scanning of the photosensitive member; selectably modulating the laser beam to effect plural line scan exposures of the photosensitive medium; providing relative motion in the cross-scan direction between the photosensitive medium and the laser beam to effect spacing between sequential scan line exposures, the spacing being subject to error; determining the error in the spacing; generating an error correction signal; and selectably orienting the beam displacement means in accordance with the error correction signal so as to displace the laser beam to compensate for such error.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
97 words
Apparatus for scanning a light beam upon a scan receiving member, comprising: means for generating a light beam; means for displacing the light beam, the means being operable by selective orientation thereof; means for deflecting the light beam so as to effect plural line scanning of the scan receiving member; means for providing spacing between sequential scan lines; means for determining scan line spacing error; and means for selectably orienting the beam displacing means in accordance with the determination of the scan line spacing error so as to displace the light beam to compensate for such error.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
97 words
Apparatus for scanning a light beam upon a scan receiving member, comprising: means for generating a light beam; means for displacing the light beam, the means being operable by selective orientation thereof; means for deflecting the light beam so as to effect plural line scanning of the scan receiving member; means for providing spacing between sequential scan lines; means for determining scan line spacing error; and means for selectably orienting the beam displacing means in accordance with the determination of the scan line spacing error so as to displace the light beam to compensate for such error.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the beam displacement means further comprises means for refracting the light beam to provide lateral displacement of the beam.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the beam displacement means further comprises means for refracting the light beam to provide angular displacement of the beam.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the beam displacement means further comprises means for reflecting the light beam to provide angular displacement of the beam.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the beam displacement means further comprises means for diffracting the light beam to provide angular displacement of the beam.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the means for providing scan line spacing further comprises means for providing relative motion in the cross-scan direction between the light beam and the scan receiving member so as to effect the spacing.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
57 words
The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the means for determining scan line spacing error further comprises: means for determining the rate of the relative motion in the cross-scan direction; means for calculating the variation of the rate from a predetermined value; and means for determining the scan line spacing error in accordance with the calculated rate variation.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
75 words
The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the means for determining the scan line spacing error further comprises: means for determining first and second positions of the scan receiving member, the first position being that selected for receiving a scan line and the second position being that upon which the scan line will actually be received; and means for determining the scan line spacing error in accordance with the differential between the first and second positions.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
146 words
Apparatus for scan line exposure of a photosensitive member, comprising: means for generating a laser beam; means for displacing the laser beam operable by selective orientation thereof; means for modulating the laser beam so as to effect exposure of the photosensitive member during selected ones of the line scans; means for deflecting the modulated laser beam so as to effect plural line scanning of the photosensitive member; means for providing relative motion in the cross-scan direction between the photosensitive member and the laser beam so as to effect a spacing of the scan line exposures, the exposure spacing being subject to error; means for determining the spacing error and for generating a spacing error correction signal; and means for selectably orienting the beam displacement means in accordance with the error correction signal so as to displace the light beam to compensate for the exposure spacing error.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
146 words
Apparatus for scan line exposure of a photosensitive member, comprising: means for generating a laser beam; means for displacing the laser beam operable by selective orientation thereof; means for modulating the laser beam so as to effect exposure of the photosensitive member during selected ones of the line scans; means for deflecting the modulated laser beam so as to effect plural line scanning of the photosensitive member; means for providing relative motion in the cross-scan direction between the photosensitive member and the laser beam so as to effect a spacing of the scan line exposures, the exposure spacing being subject to error; means for determining the spacing error and for generating a spacing error correction signal; and means for selectably orienting the beam displacement means in accordance with the error correction signal so as to displace the light beam to compensate for the exposure spacing error.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
44 words
The scanning exposure station of claim 19, wherein the beam displacement means further comprises a movable refracting tilt plate selectably oriented in the beam path for refraction of the laser beam incident at a face thereof to effect lateral displacement of the laser beam.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
42 words
The scanning exposure station of claim 19, wherein the displacement means further comprises a moveable tilt prism selectably oriented in the beam path for refraction of the laser beam incident at a face thereof to effect angular displacement of the laser beam.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
43 words
The scanning exposure station of claim 19, wherein the displacement means further comprises a moveable reflecting tilt plate selectably oriented in the beam path for reflection of the laser beam incident at a face thereof to effect angular displacement of the laser beam.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
43 words
The scanning exposure station of claim 19, wherein the displacement means further comprises a moveable diffracting tilt plate selectably oriented in the beam path for diffraction of the laser beam incident at a face thereof to effect angular displacement of the laser beam.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
53 words
The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the means for determining scan line spacing error further comprises: means for determining the rate of the relative motion; means for calculating the variation of the rate from a predetermined value; and means for determining the scan line spacing error in accordance with the calculated rate variation.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
71 words
The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the means for determining the scan line spacing error further comprises: means for determining first and second positions of the photosensitive member, the first position being that selected for receiving exposure and the second position being that upon which the exposure will actually be received; and means for determining the scan line spacing error in accordance with the differential between the first and second positions.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-05-27 | 1994-11-26 | 1995-05-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-05-27 | 1998-11-26 | 1999-05-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-05-27 | 2002-11-26 | 2003-05-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |